There has been an explosion in retail theft across the state that has caused stores to raise prices, lock up items, and in multiple cases, close up shop. Proposition 36 increases penalties for smash-and-grab crimes when three or more people act together to ...

No one — not the Governor's Office, the CHP task force, nor the attorney general — can tell us how many of the people arrested by California's Organized Retail Crime Task Force were sentenced, let alone how many went to jail,

It is clear they are closely watching now and aware of voter frustrations. Newsom and Democratic leaders in the Legislature oppose Prop. 36, but have decided to not forcefully campaign against it. They believe a package of new theft-related laws approved by state lawmakers this year is a better approach.

California voters approved a ballot measure that would reclassify some misdemeanor theft and drug crimes as felonies, essentially undoing a previous ballot measure that big-box retailers and law enforcement officials have long blamed for increases in theft,

California voters have passed Proposition 36, the Associated Press projects, approving changes that will roll back criminal justice reforms from a contentious 2014 ballot measure that lessened the penalties for some crimes including theft and drug possession.

Here's how California voted on statewide measures in the 2024 election, including Proposition 36 on retail theft and fentanyl.